Argentina vs Switzerland: Can Lionel Messi continue to inspire Argentina when they face Switzerland?

Lionel Messi after scoring against Iran

Switzerland’s reward for finishing second in Group E is a second-round tie with Argentina and Lionel Messi this Tuesday in Sao Paulo. They are not favourites but will at least have Xherdan Shaqiri, Switzerland’s own Messi-equivalent, in electric form.This will be the seventh international meeting between Argentina and Switzerland. Argentina are unbeaten in their previous six (W4 D2). The only previous World Cup meeting between these two sides came back in 1966, when Argentina defeated Switzerland 2-0.

After failing to score in seven successive World Cup appearances, Lionel Messi has netted four goals in his three appearances at the 2014 finals. Argentina have won their last three World Cup second round ties; winning on penalties versus England in 1998 and beating Mexico in both 2006 and 2010.Argentina have won only 3 of their last 10 World Cup matches against a European team (D4, L3).

The Swiss have kept a clean sheet in seven of their last 10 World Cup finals matches.Switzerland have won just one of their previous six World Cup matches against South American nations (W1 D1 L4), but this victory came earlier in this tournament v Ecuador. Xherdan Shaqiri scored a hat-trick in Switzerland's final group game against Honduras - the 50th hat-trick in World Cup history.

Argentina have had an average possession figure of 65% so far at this tournament - the highest in this finals and their highest average at a World Cup finals since 1966. Four of Argentina's last seven World Cup goals have come from outside the box, including half of their six goals (3) at this tournament.Argentina look set to play Ezequiel Lavezzi instead of the injured Sergio Aguero in a continued three-man attack.

PROBABLE LINEUPS:

SWITZERLAND: Benaglio Lichtsteiner, Djourou, Schaer, Rodriguez Inler, Behrami, Shaqiri, Xhaka, Mehmedi Drmic

ARGENTINA: Romero Zabaleta, Garay, Fernandez, Rojo Gago, Mascherano, Di Maria Messi, Higuain, Lavezzi

Manager: Ottmar Hitzfeld Manager: Alejandro Sabella

Last Five Matches:

SWITZERLAND: WLWWW
26-Jun-2014	Honduras 0 - Switzerland 3	WC
21-Jun-2014	Switzerland 2 - France 5	WC
15-Jun-2014	Switzerland 2 - Ecuador 1	WC
04-Jun-2014	Switzerland 2 - Peru 0	FR
31-May-2014	Switzerland 1 - Jamaica 0	FR
ARGENTINA: WWWWW
25-Jun-2014	Nigeria 2 - Argentina 3	WC
21-Jun-2014	Argentina 1 - Iran 0	WC
16-Jun-2014	Argentina 2 - Bosnia and Herzegovina 1	WC
08-Jun-2014	Argentina 2 - Slovenia 0	FR
05-Jun-2014	Argentina 3 - Trinidad & Tobago 0	FR

Timings and Telecast:

Tue 1 July, 9:30 pm on Sony SIX • Round of 16

Arena Corinthians, São Paulo